The Ministry of Crab is coming to India

Its one of the best-known restaurants in Colombo. It was even named as one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants last year. The Ministry of Crab. Whether you’re a local or a traveler, it’s a name that needs no introduction. Six years after first opening shop, it looks like the seafood restaurant is venturing into India.

From cricket to selling crabs

What do you get when you put together 2 legendary cricketers and a renown chef/restauranteur? A high-end restaurant specializing in crab cuisine. In December 2011, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena joined hands with Dharshan Munidasa to kick-start a seafood restaurant. Over the years, the Ministry of Crab has earned quite the reputation for its exquisite crab dishes.

The 3 ministers of the Ministry of Crab (Image Courtesy: tasty.lk)

Sourcing fresh ingredients for the menu is one of the things that makes the restaurant unique. From Avacado Crab Salad to Garlic Chilli Crab, the dishes are a treat for any seafood lover. The crabs come in varying sizes too. Their Crabzilla weighs as much as 2 kg.

But its not just merely about the crabs. The restaurant resides in one of the oldest and beautiful buildings in Colombo Fort. For those of you who don’t know, The Old Colombo Dutch Hospital was originally a hospital built in 1677, during the Dutch Colonial era. If you’re a fan of colonial architecture, you can check out our article on a few colonial structures in Jaffna, which we did some time back.

Image Courtesy: Kitten Voyage

Expansion to India

The idea of opening up a Ministry of Crab in India has been long thought of. Back in 2013, Mahela Jayawardene commented on the prospect of expanding to India. However, at the time, the focus was to consolidate operations in Colombo with regards to the restaurant. But now it looks like its finally happening.

A couple of days back, Mahela made the announcement via Instagram that a Ministry of Crab will be opening up in India soon. The restaurant has partnered up with Gourmet Investments Pvt Ltd to open a Ministry of Crab in Mumbai and Delhi.